Galway Bay
by Laura Ann Yates
Summary: Castle asks Beckett to accompany him to the NYPD choir's Christmas performance, but why does she decline? Inspired by the line "the boys of the NYPD choir, were singing 'Galway Bay'" from the Christmas song "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues.


_The boys of the NYPD choir_

_Were singing 'Galway Bay'_

Fairy-tale of New York by The Pogues

* * *

**So at work they've had the same Christmas songs on repeat since like the beginning of December and this line inspired me last weekend after listening to this song for the 5****th**** time in 2 hours.**

**I have no idea if the NYPD really does have a choir or not, but for the sake of his one-shot, it does.**

* * *

With his coat draped over his arm, a smirk on his face and two coffees in his hand, Castle exited the elevator at the 4th floor and made his way into the bullpen of the homicide floor, sitting down into the chair beside a certain detective's desk. "Good morning, detective."

"Morning," she nods at him, slipping in a 'thanks' as he hands her coffee over to her. "What's got you in a good mood?"

"Well, if you must know, I have got us two tickets to the NYPD's choir Christmas service tomorrow night." He smiles at her like this is a normal occurrence for them.

"Oh, Castle, I can't," She says, observing as his features morph from excitement into disappointment. "I have plans with my dad tomorrow night," _Technically I'm not lying,_ she reasons with herself, _I am going to dinner with him before he comes to see me in the service._ "I'm sorry." She adds.

"Oh, don't worry about it. I just thought that with Josh being in Africa and mother and Alexis away looking at colleges, it'd be nice for us both to get out." He tells her, more to convince himself that it wasn't a date.

Sensing his dejected mood, Beckett reaches forward and puts a hand on his arm, catching his attention. "Hey, don't look so sad. If you really want my company after work, how about we do something at the weekend?"

"Sure. I'll make some plans." Castle says

* * *

"You ready for the performance, Katie?" Jim Beckett asks his daughter as they leave the restaurant and head towards the car.

"I think so. I just hope Castle doesn't show up." At her words, her father throws her a confused look.

"Castle?" He asks.

"Yeah. He came to the precinct yesterday morning and said he'd got us two tickets for tonight. I didn't want to tell him I was performing so I just told him I was having dinner with you." She explains, as Jim slips into traffic.

"Ah, well I'm sure it'll be fine." He tells her and they settle in for the ten minute ride to the venue.

_I hope you're right_, she thinks to herself, shifting in her seat slightly. Ten minutes later Jim pulls up in the car park and kills the engine.

They both get out of the car as he tells her "I'll see you on stage. Good luck." Before he heads into the lobby of the building.

Beckett stands beside the car a moment longer; this was the first time she would be performing with the NYPDs choir. Sure she had been to many of their rehearsals, but she had never performed to a crowd of more than a dozen and to say she was nervous would be an understatement. Taking a deep breathe, she shoves her hands in deep in her coat pockets and heads towards the stage door to prepare herself for the performance.

* * *

"Please welcome the New York Police Department Choir." A voice said, echoing through the hall.

The crowd cheered and clapped as the thirteen members of the choir stepped up onto the stage and took their places. As the crowd died down and took their seats, Beckett, being the only female of the group, took centre stage, a lone gasp could be heard from the crowd followed by a whisper of "Beckett?" alerting Beckett to the fact that Castle was in fact there and had recognised her instantly.

* * *

_I will ask my God to let me make my Heaven,_

_In my dear land across the Irish Sea._

_Oh…_

_In my dear land across the Irish Sea._

The finishing bars of 'Galway Bay' resonated throughout the hall and the audience once again clapped and cheered as the choir took their final bow and left the stage.

Standing with the crowd, both Jim Beckett and Richard Castle made their way back into the lobby, heading for the stage door to meet a certain detective.

"Richard?" Jim asks, as the writer approaches the older man.

"Jim, good to see you again," He shook the older man's outstretched hand "You know, I actually invited her to accompany me to the performance tonight but she told me she had plans with you."

"We went to dinner before coming here." He tells Castle.

"Ah."

"You know this is the first time she's actually performed with the choir?" Jim says to the younger man as a way to carry on the dying conversation.

"I never actually knew she was a part of the choir to begin with." Castle informs him.

"That's because I'm technically not." A voice from behind them puts a stop to their awkward conversation, both of them turning to address the owner of the voice.

"Katie, well done darling." Her father says, pulling her in for a hug.

"Thanks, Dad." She smiles, pulling back.

"Wait, what do you mean you're not technically in the choir?" Castle says, a confused look on his face.

"That was a one off for Christmas." She tells them both.

* * *

**I'm not entirely pleased with the way this turned out but I started it Saturday morning and I wanted to get it posted before Christmas. I might re-write it in the new year if I find time.**


End file.
